43 replies to this topic

[WeLoveCab]

I'm still checking on local zoning to see if its even possible to get my winery off the ground. In the mean time I have a question for people who are living the dream already.

How do you go about making a new wine for sale? For example Chilean juice will be available soon and I wanted to make a Chilean Cab Sauv to sell... What exactly do you have to do?

[Tomer1]

What exactly do you have to do?

Get the juice into a fermentor, finish fermentation,rack off gross lees,inoculate with mlf,finish mlf,rack off less,sulfit,age in inert vessel or barrel maintaining proper so2 levels,filter (or not),bottle,sell.

[NorthernWiner]

Really? You want a complete dissertation on winemaking in a single thread? I don't think that's very realistic, so I only hope you're kidding around.

I would suggest the following books to help get you started.

Principles and Practices of Winemaking, by Boulton, Singleton, and Bisson.
Winery Technology and Operations: A Handbook for Small Wineries, by Yair Magalit
Wine Analysis and Production by Zoecklein, Gump, Nury, and Fugelsang.

You'll also want to read up on local ordinances (city and state), and check out the TTB website at http://www.ttb.gov/wine/index.shtml

[WeLoveCab]

Sorry, I was refering to the legal paperwork for filing for a new wine product for sale IE: Thread was started under Small Wineries - Legal quetions. I know how to make the wine... I want to know what the process is on the paperwork side to sell it.

[NorthernWiner]

Ahh... sorry. I misunderstood.

I would still start with the TTB web site. Local ordinances are going to vary from place to place, so it might be a good idea to talk to owners of wineries in your area and see what they had to go through.

And the books I mentioned are a good read if you're going pro.

[WeLoveCab]

I've read the TTB website and its slightly confusing to me so I was hopeing that someone on here might be able to give me a 500 foot overview of the steps... I don't have any personal reslationships with any winery owners in my area yet since we've only been in the area for about 2 months.

[naper wine guy]

As with any business startup - start with a business plan.

Not sure where you are looking to start a winery, however here's a link to a business plan template for a winery startup in IL. You may be able to pick through this and align for your location. But I would suspect that the biggest hurdle will be financing your dream. And to obtain any financing, you will need a business plan. I'd figure $500K startup costs, at a minimum, to get a good winery up and running (equipment, inventory, storage, insurance, property, etc, etc). Plus you have to figure that it will take a few years for your first vintage to age long enough to sell - - a year + for whites, 2+ years for reds. A long time to be operating without any cash flow in to offset costs....

http://www.illinoiswine.org/pdf/Winery_Start_Up_Profile_2008.pdf

Anyway - best of luck to you.

[WeLoveCab]

Thanks Naper... unfortunatly this is a little off the mark of what I'm looking for. I'm looking for the steps one goes through to get approval for a new wine product for sale. IE: You currently only sell Cab Sauv, Sauv Blanc, and Merlot... You want to now make a Chilaen Cab Franc for sale. What is the process you go through on the paperwork side to get approval to sell the Chilaen Cab Franc?

[naper wine guy]

OK - out of my league.... good luck!

[bigdfromtn]

Thanks Naper... unfortunatly this is a little off the mark of what I'm looking for. I'm looking for the steps one goes through to get approval for a new wine product for sale. IE: You currently only sell Cab Sauv, Sauv Blanc, and Merlot... You want to now make a Chilaen Cab Franc for sale. What is the process you go through on the paperwork side to get approval to sell the Chilaen Cab Franc?

My guess would be to fill out the same paperwork you did to sell the first 3....

[Calamity Cellars]

I am in Washington. I am required to fill out a monthly report for Washington State Liquor Control Board and an annual report for the TTB. You are required to keep a record of each wine that you produce from purchasing the grapes to selling the last bottle and everything in between. There is no specific paperwork to start a new variety just the same reporting that you did for all of the others. The first variety is treated exactly the same as the newest. The permission to make wine is done in the initial licensing and in the label approval process. Does this answer your question?

[Wade's Wines]

Where are you located? That could make a big difference on what's required.

[WeLoveCab]

I am in Washington. I am required to fill out a monthly report for Washington State Liquor Control Board and an annual report for the TTB. You are required to keep a record of each wine that you produce from purchasing the grapes to selling the last bottle and everything in between. There is no specific paperwork to start a new variety just the same reporting that you did for all of the others. The first variety is treated exactly the same as the newest. The permission to make wine is done in the initial licensing and in the label approval process. Does this answer your question?

It kinda does... but don't you have to request label approval again for a new label for the new wine?
Don’t you have to submit a new formulation and a sample or anything?

Also, I live in PA, but for this topic I'm speaking only to the federal level.

[Calamity Cellars]

No sample but yes on the label approval - with exceptions. Someone can correct me if I am wrong but I think in the old days you had to submit samples. These days it is done online with the TTB's COLA system. You have to be able to prove the facts you claim on your label approval but not every wine is checked. In Washington State the recently dropped the label approval process to save money and now the State says that if it's good enough for the Feds then it's good enough for us.

[gregorio]

Get the juice into a fermentor, finish fermentation,rack off gross lees,inoculate with mlf,finish mlf,rack off less,sulfit,age in inert vessel or barrel maintaining proper so2 levels,filter (or not),bottle,sell.